Researcher and thought leader Dr. Brené Brown offers a liberating study on the importance of our imperfections—both to our relationships and to our own sense of self

The quest for perfection is exhausting and unrelenting. There is a constant barrage of social expectations that teach us that being imperfect is synonymous with being inadequate. Everywhere we turn, there are messages that tell us who, what and how we’re supposed to be. So, we learn to hide our struggles and protect ourselves from shame, judgment, criticism and blame by seeking safety in pretending and perfection.

Dr. Brené Brown, Ph.D., LMSW, is the leading authority on the power of vulnerability, and has inspired thousands through her top-selling book The Gifts of Imperfection, wildly popular TEDx talk, and a PBS special. Based on seven years of her ground-breaking research and hundreds of interviews, I Thought It Was Just Me shines a long-overdue light on an important truth: Our imperfections are what connect us to each other and to our humanity. Our vulnerabilities are not weaknesses; they are powerful reminders to keep our hearts and minds open to the reality that we’re all in this together.

Dr. Brown writes, “We need our lives back. It’s time to reclaim the gifts of imperfection—the courage to be real, the compassion we need to love ourselves and others, and the connection that gives true purpose and meaning to life. These are the gifts that bring love, laughter, gratitude, empathy and joy into our lives.”

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Reviews

Rated 5 out of
5 by
owllady from
First book in the journey homeThis book, and the two following, is about being the best you can be without referring to others for acceptance...
I am deep in Brene Browns' online course and she often references this book... it is a supportive book and inspires us to look at our past, briefly... embrace our improvable present and face the future unafraid... I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a way to change their future as they heal from their past.

Date published: 2014-02-17

Rated 3 out of
5 by
Mary_Beth_Denholme from
It Might Just Be Me :)As I write this review I will admit that I am only half way through the book, but that is part and parcel as to why I felt I should write. I am certainly one always open to a self help....and the title and recommendation from a friend is really what drove my acquisition of this book. The first chapter....amazing!!! .... It spoke volumes to what I was feeling....but as I have progressed into the middle of the book, it's really been a very wonderfully executed piece of work. The author has done extensive research into the topic and has quite a lot of substantiating resources for her work. That is, unfortunately, where she has lost me. I have lost a bit of the appeal into the help for myself and feel a bit lost in the research and applicability of that in a science sense.... My conclusion is that my feelings around this topic are not deep seeded enough for the book and I would highly recommend this to people who are seriously dealing with the issues she has addressed, however, for myself, I have recognized from the readings, that this is not an issue that I need to go deep with. So on that note, highly recommended for therapeutic and self help purposes for those that are struggling, and I felt the exploration of this topic was of great benefit for myself to gauge the depth of my emotions around this topic.

Date published: 2013-09-27

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Stacy_Hill from
A must read for every womanI found this to be a practical guide that was presented clearly and easy to understand. If you struggle with anxiety, depression or lack self esteem, this book is for you. Brene Brown, an expert in the Social Work field has studied every aspect of what causes us to experience shame and gives us the tools to address that shame in a healthy, positive manner. I found this book to be one I had a hard time putting down because in each paragraph I read, I could see myself. Definitely a must read.

Date published: 2012-05-28

– More About This Product –

I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't): Making the Journey from "What Will People Think?" to "I Am…

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From the Publisher

Researcher and thought leader Dr. Brené Brown offers a liberating study on the importance of our imperfections—both to our relationships and to our own sense of self

The quest for perfection is exhausting and unrelenting. There is a constant barrage of social expectations that teach us that being imperfect is synonymous with being inadequate. Everywhere we turn, there are messages that tell us who, what and how we’re supposed to be. So, we learn to hide our struggles and protect ourselves from shame, judgment, criticism and blame by seeking safety in pretending and perfection.

Dr. Brené Brown, Ph.D., LMSW, is the leading authority on the power of vulnerability, and has inspired thousands through her top-selling book The Gifts of Imperfection, wildly popular TEDx talk, and a PBS special. Based on seven years of her ground-breaking research and hundreds of interviews, I Thought It Was Just Me shines a long-overdue light on an important truth: Our imperfections are what connect us to each other and to our humanity. Our vulnerabilities are not weaknesses; they are powerful reminders to keep our hearts and minds open to the reality that we’re all in this together.

Dr. Brown writes, “We need our lives back. It’s time to reclaim the gifts of imperfection—the courage to be real, the compassion we need to love ourselves and others, and the connection that gives true purpose and meaning to life. These are the gifts that bring love, laughter, gratitude, empathy and joy into our lives.”